Man, I guess I won’t be doing any leg modeling anytime soon. *chuckles. Anyways nothing to be raving about but I have 8 & 12 mozzie bites on both legs from our hiking excursion yesterday.. Those hungry blood suckers ugh. On top of my slightly battered marks from cycling..I now look like a victim of domestic violence with a mild-medium occurrence of chicken pox. ( -_- )“

So hiking on the Lions Rock trail was really fun and definitely had a more adventurous-vibe than the previous 2 hikes that we did. Although I only got 3 hours of sleep the night before, practically ate 2 fruits and 1 bao because there was no food at home & didnt want to eat too much beforehand...I guess I'm lucky that I didn't start crashing until 8pm. lol We started the hike at Tai Wai at around 3.30 and reached Amah Rock, Lions Peak & then Beacon Hill. I think it took us approx 3 hours to finish with decent resting periods in between. Lion's rock peak was pretty steep so do be careful when coming back down bc my dad told me ppl have fallen off before. eeks! Nevertheless the 360 degrees views are amazing and worth the 500m hike up because you'll never get to see kowloon and new territories ever like this. I don’t think I mentioned this to my hiking buddies but throughout the way I did feel slightly queasy. Not sure if it was because of lack of sunlight, rock shadows or the ‘bok tou dong’ (hit-head-gang) stories but yeah.. just a word of advice not to start the hike in the late afternoon or else you'll have to walk down on this DARK 'no un-authorized access' route that ends up being by this correctional facility. haha
woohoo!
The lion's head.

Hmm what else has been going on..Oh yea so this past week I’ve started preparing for my run in late November. Yes, me…the person who gets picked 2nd to last in PE class has signed up for a 10 km run… I kid you not haha. I’ve bought my running shoes and 2 new t-shirts because I sweat bucket loads and only do the laundry once a week. On wed night I popped out of the house at 9.30pm after work and on sat morning I stepped out at 7.45am for my jog-walk. I’m very serious about this and have alot of motivation that hopefully wont fizzle. I’ve even considered getting that Nike sportsband to track my performance. =P I really want to finish the race but if I don’t finish it within 100 minutes and have to get picked up (shamefully!) by the bus, it’s still good to know that I’m running for the children.

Never been to HK’s Disneyland but looking forward to seeing Mickey & Minnie on nov 29! I think I'll deserve a damn big pat on the back if I can finish this race.. =)

Feeling lucky..like winning the #1 jackpot :)

Okay basically last Friday I went for lunch at FINDS with my coworkers and while we were finishing up one of the waitresses started passing out some paper for us to fill out which we initially thought was a questionnaire. Then she explained that they would be opening a cafe soon and would like some creative assistance to name their new venture. Anyhoo I obviously wrote down my fav english word and submitted it back and then today I received an email going:

Hi, Peggy!

Congratulations!

We’ve chosen the name 'simpli-city' to be the name of our new outlet! As a reward for your creativity, you win a $1,000 dinner voucher from FINDS, as well as be the first to dine at our new place – on us! (Details to follow).

Please let me know whether you want me to post the dinner voucher to you (please send me your street address), or if you would rather come to FINDS to pick it up on your next visit.

Many thanks, and Kippis!

Best Regards,
James Gannaban
Marketing Manager

Pretty darn cooool huh? So in the future, if you see this joint or if ppl goes there to eat I can tell them that I came up with the nameee!!! teehee I just hope they don't close down after 6 months or have some licensing issues. =P

Savouring the sweet

Reaction to this culinary ingredient is always a given.
Loved by all ages & all sizes.
Placing one's mind to its rightful place;
Somewhere between sensuality, nostalgia, emotion and sheer greed.

Chocomania @VERO, HK's not-so best kept secrect. Also means 'true' in Italian
1. The craving and long anticipated wait.
2. My awesome friend in the chocolate room.
3. Vero's signature dark chocolate cake.
4. Oozing before the slice/stab.
5. Xocolatl hot chocolate topped with a melting chocolate lid.
6. Warmed scone with blueberry compote & crème fraîche.
7. Tiny muffins: rosemary, dark 70%, caramel, banana & mint and blueberry.
8. A good meal following our desserts.







What does it take to produce a good photograph: a good camera, a knowledgeable eye or an artistic frame of mind? It's all relative. Everything's quantifiable in terms of individual perception. The world really is in the eye of the beholder :)

Anyways, as I've mentioned on twitter to my 3 fellow followers haha I do agree with yves that lately I feel like I don't have enough time to hang out with people I want to hang out with. Ultimately and unfortunately, family sometimes comes last which is horrible I know. Can't really remember when was the last time I had a good sit down meal with just my dad on a weekday. Will make note to self to change that this week. On the other hand, I have been having some good times with my colleagues. With the amount of hours we spend together in the workplace, it would probably drive me insane if I didn't get along with them so that's why I'm so appreciative of the ppl I'm working with now and I love all the times we spend together both inside and outside of work. Gotta keep that positive balance! hehee
After work.. hung out @Azure for a light chill.

Followed by Hanaguchi for more food. We accidently ordered shochu thinking it was soju and omg pls never make the same mistake. The waitress was very kind tho and we did take her suggestions to try it: on the rocks, add warm water + plum, and this other pink fruity thing but in the end we didn't finish the whole bottle. I bet she was silently laughing at us like haa suckers!

* * *
Ah, so also this week a fellow Vancouver friend came back for a visit! Although we don't keep in touch much, we do always have good catch up sessions. Glad to have you back for such an extended period of time and will see to it that you appear on the first week of Oct ;) Had dinner @Aqua Roma for the first time - yes I am small town girl 'a dai herng lei'. I couldn't resist myself from getting the classic risotto with grilled porchini mushrooms and my cravings for the cheesy rich flavours has been duly satisfied. hehe The appy and dessert was good but I think my lychee martini afterwards was the highlight. Normally I prefer lemony drinks over sweet ones but the lychee was a good change. You never know what's good until you give it a try. Overall the food is abit overpriced but obviously with these fab views no one should complain. They were also celebrating their 9th anniversary with this neat 3 course offer at $488. Will definatley pick this place over Felix.

So..if you were given the opportunity to enjoy an inexpensive delicious, hearty, makes-your-heart-sing meal vs a more expensive one which you could've cooked up for a fraction of the price, but the place had a wonderful atmosphere with a fantastic view & decor... which would you prefer? Just curious. Obviously I like a place that has a happy medium: good vibe, service and food satisfaction. Occassionally (although I don't go enough) I do like trying new fine dining-places but generally it's the company that matters. You could be at a ritzy/cool place that makes your squirmy or want to flee and sometimes have the best meals at an outdoors dai pai dong place.

I'm sure there are tons of people who are able to look at this view everyday and don't feel any special emotions from it. Just an ordinary view...?

Haven't had this many scrapes and bruises since...I was a 'tomboy' playing soccer in grade 4. Had a small biking accident today and I'm still a little shaken up with the images replaying in my mind. It was totally my fault (although it would've been nice if the girl asked me if I was ALRIGHT - did she? I was too busy staring at the blood) and I knew it was a bad move but I couldn't stop myself in time. Thankfully I'm totally fine but I do wish my mommy was around to fuss over me and help boil some eggs to alleviate the bruises from turning fugly. *chuckles. Anyways once again we went biking on an extremely muggy & humid day like last time. We went further and probably rode slower without the boys but definately took less water breaks. And as yves nicely put it, it felt like we were 'swimming through a very warm ocean'. I'll summarize the weekend with some pictures :D
Had my soy latte and mushroom +cheese pocket at the Starbucks on duddell street. I think I've found my new coffee joint in central because simply life gets too crowded with ppl who drink with their pinkies up and its hard to get&retain seats without feeling rushed. So a few people told me to try the cheese pockets at starbucks but I think I would prefer mccain's frozen pizza pockets which I used to microwave and then grill on the toasters mm...hehe These ones first of all lost brownie points due to it's pale appearance. But I was going alright don't judge a book by it's covers so I decided to give it a go. Ended up being disappointed: too much cheese and tasted kind of bland. Didn't tickle my fancy from the very first bite.
Pre Philia and post SOUL FOOD OF ASIA. ;) BerryGood on Graham Street. Awesome froyo with my fav oreo cookies and added matchi. Out of the 3 different places that I've been to, this would probably be the best one to bring your date to because of the intimacy and hot pink cushions. hehe I personally prefer the yoghurt at yomama but the decor is mamades especially the ikea coffee tables that's mis-matched with ordinary chairs. Not very comfy but perhaps good if you like staring down at girls chests..lol Plus yomama in wanchai is a fair walk from admiralty mtr (targeting lazy bums here) but will check out the one at ifc once it opens. I don't have anything against Yoghurtime in Soho but just not enough seating =T
HAHAHA We took this silly photo after church 2 weeks ago. I like it.. =)
Evil bike. I had a bad feeling about 'it' when the brakes weren't very sensitive but didn't turn back to exchange. Wrong move. I think the bikes in Shatin are better but this Tai Wai place is cheaper. Definately going for quality next time. *humph
@Tai Mei Tuk. You can rent these cute yellow boats, fish by the waters or bbq outdoors. We saw a few people bbq-ing but...isn't it too hot considering it's aready 30 degrees outside?
Nothing better than some siu mai and mister softie ice cream to cool down. I love playing with this function on my cameraaa..

My lil treat. hehe

Two days ago I felt like buying myself a new 'silly melon' camera because my photos always look so yellow and blurred. Yesterday I decided to buy a canon and then today during my lunch break I walked by a camera store and fell in love. This evening I bought it, ain't I such a boy when it comes to shopping? haha Seriously I dont really fuss around researching brands or store deals because if you like it and falls within your budget why waste your time and energy? That's always been my shopping motto because I get really tired and slightly disgruntled when I only window shop and not acheive anything. Such a result oriented shopper but its not like an impulse buy because I tend to keep things for good periods of time.. yay.. love it because its so small and pretty looking.

@798 Unit & Co. Bistro Want to try out Small Medium Large next time! Looked like a really trendy and popular restaurant.

Changing lives one smile at a time

Touched. =(

We had this small work collaboration thing with Operation Smile yesterday and it was my first time hearing about this medical missions group. Was reading up on the Board of Director bio's and it's pretty awesome learning about how these people devote their time or whatever it is that they can contribute to help these children and young adults be able to smile properly again. I want to volunteer but unfortunately I don't qualify under any of their medical specialities...but can definately donate. For more info check out their website.

Did you know?
"That in China, one out of approximately every 600 newborn babies suffers from cleftings. Often, these children have difficulty in eating, speaking, hearing or breathing properly. Scientists are still researching methods to prevent cleft lips and cleft palates, but little is known to date. According to a recent study, mothers who take multivitamins containing folic acid before conception and during the first two months of pregnancy may reduce their risk of giving birth to a baby with a cleft. Researchers have also found that maternal smoking increases the risk of clefts. Other studies suggest that high doses of vitamin A may play a role in some birth defects, including cleft lips and cleft palates; women should not take more than the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance of 5,000 international units of vitamin A. That its best for surgeons to repair the partition of the mouth and nose as early as possible, ideally between the ages of 12 and 18 months."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So I'm currently kind of upset. You know how I admire guys who have guts to voice their views rather than having to watch a movie like 'He's not that into you' to fully understand why he might not be replying your email or not be in contact with you. Anyways having recently heard the would've and could'ves, I'm actually kind of hurt. Not so much about the missed opportunities persay because everyone's moved on..but to have not heard it earlier or right after the fact. To learn about it now is simply pointless and an easy way off on your conscience. Not sure why I'm still feeling this way but wish I was ignorant to this version of the story. Oh well I guess the bottem line is..being second best is better than having nothing at all.

Just interesting to note how someone for that lil period of time can make an impact on your life and create rippling effects. Encapsulating the technical notion of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory.. aka butterfly effect? =) I love these kinda stuff.

Perfect Sunday.
It's a real pity that so many people from out of town don't realize how beautiful HK's backyard can actually be. Most people come to HK to visit their friends and family, do some shopping and mainly eat but what about the naturesque outdoor activities? There's so much you can do, and the view you get is not only inexpensive but also breathtaking! Where else can you take a brief 20 minute ride from the urban jungle to a vast abundance of green vegetation, waters and beautiful hiking trails? After experiencing what I truly experienced as a 'runner's high,' the moment I got home, I did some readings on the Maclehose Trails and realized that we did a good portion of stage 2. Instead of starting off at Long Ke, we took the taxi to Sai Wan Tin and walked from there to Pak Tam Chung. It says the trail should take around 5 hours to complete but it didn't feel that long and we spent a good portion playing in the waters as well. =)
Highland Reservoir with the turquoise blue waters. Since we started off at around noon hour, the sun was directly above and the earlier portions of the trail had NO tree coverings so the heat would've definately been a big turn off for girls who are afraid of *gasp... freckles! If you're worried about that factor, bring an umbrella, we saw plenty of girls and boys carrying them. hehe After what seemed like 30-45 min walk we quickly reached Sai Wan Beach but there were alot of boats & people there so we didn't waste much time dwelling in that area. Nevertheless the Sai Wan Village inhabitants seem to make a living out of selling boogie boards, serving up tofu dessert and cooking up some simple cafe-style meals. Definately the simple life.

Kept on walking (missed the rock pool.. next time?) and before you know it, you get a feeling that strippage & a cool dip in the waters are just moments away!

That's the Ham Tin Wan beach, pretty darn gorgeous from afar and in person! Definately pristine for HK standards & the white sands felt real fine between the toes and best of all, it wasn't packed with beach goers. Happy timesss = overly enthusiastic spf 4 sprayer... someone would NOT approve. =)

The remaining parts of the trail weren't too bad but I did have to 'hoof' (haha) my way up the 2nd mountain. But generally speaking, I didn't even get a chance to complain because before you know it, it's downhill again and there's alot more shades in this section which is a relief.

After checking out the Oxfam Trailwalker, the record team only took 11 hrs 52 min to complete the 10 different stages!! =O *Clearly impressed. Next time, I think we should strive for the 'Sharp Peak' which is apparently the highest hill in Eastern Sai Kung. My heart stopped beating for a moment when Yves pointed out that we were going up there after the swim. LOL Next time I'll be mentally prepared and fully nourished with energy ;)
Had such an awesome day and thanks soo much for taking me out you guys. =) The trail and beach did not disappoint and we ended the night with some good ol' pizza & big gooey chunks of potatoe skins. And last but not least, winding down in Durian district. hehe *om nom nom.. Wish I could do this every weekend and would definately like to try camping when it gets cooler cuz I've never been! :P

I can't wait until this week is over...
It's not particularly stressful but I feel like I started the week on the wrong foot.
Tired of people pushing my buttons and always having to be the bigger person.
There's only so much I want to deal with.
Do you think I'm too polite/considerate sometimes? I know it's me & I can't change it.
I could really get away from emails, work, and PEOPLE even.
The thought of disappearing for a weekend sounds really attractive.
If only I could be a young chubby kid going to school and worrying about type of cereal to eat and what tv shows to watch in the afternoon... I know I have zero worries and have it easy but I just feel so annoyed. Sun ha jeh..moody girlo.
I could use a pamper session this weekend and looking forward to that hike on Sunday.

"I'm having a private party, Learning how to love me, Celebrating the woman I've become, yeah. Sometimes I'm alone but never lonely, That's what I've come to realize, I've learned to love the quiet moments, The Sunday mornings of life. Where I can reach deep down inside, Or out into the universe, I can laugh until I cry
Or I can cry away the hurt. I'm having a private party, Ain't nobody here but Me and my angels and my guitar singin'" - India Arie